Ensuring Arnold representation emerges as issue in changing how New Kensington-Arnold elects school board
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Ensuring that Arnold residents have representation on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board may be a consideration as the board discusses doing away with the district’s voting regions in favor of at-large elections.
A committee of the board discussed the issue during a meeting Thursday. School board Vice President Terry Schrock described it as exploratory, with nothing yet set in stone.
Schrock said he anticipates having at least one more such meeting — and hopes to hear the public’s views for or against the change — before the board makes a decision.
The regions remain in place and unchanged for the upcoming election in November, in which six of the nine school director’s seats are up.
The district is divided into three voting regions. Arnold is not a region unto itself — most of the city is in Region 1, while a part of it is in Region 2.
Schrock said the reasons for the regions to exist, such as the number of schools that once existed, have gone by the wayside.
He said they also are a holdover from when people running for school board would campaign by shaking hands, whereas today they can use the internet and social media to get their names out.
“It’s an old, antiquated way to do things,” he said.
Eric Felack is a candidate for the school board in Region 3 in this year’s election. He is on the ballot twice — as a Republican challenging Democratic incumbent John Cope for a four-year seat, and unopposed and appearing on both parties for a two-year seat.
When New Kensington and Arnold schools merged in the 1960s, Felack said the regions were established to ensure Arnold had a voice and was not dwarfed by the larger New Kensington.
But, today, there is a lack of candidates, he said.
“Somebody should not be prohibited from running for school board based on where they live,” Felack said.
Board member Jane Graham said residents should be able to vote for who they feel is the best candidate but are limited by the regions.
Board member Eric Doutt, who also is Arnold’s police chief, is its only member from Arnold. He did not seek reelection this year.
Barring any surprises in the upcoming election, the board will have no members from Arnold when the new board is seated in December.
Doutt said he is all for going to an at-large election but would want to ensure at least one seat is held by someone from Arnold. He suggested the board be comprised of five seats open to candidates from either city with three guaranteed to New Kensington and one to Arnold.
Schrock said he would want to find an objective way to apportion the board’s nine seats between the cities, such as registered voters and voter turnout or tax revenue. But, he said there could be problems if seats are allotted to Arnold and nobody runs.
Whether the board would have one seat dedicated to Arnold or be elected entirely at-large is a decision the board will have to make, Schrock said.
While not yet close to the legal aspects of the issue, Schrock said the board will need guidance from its solicitor, Tony Vigilante, who did not attend the committee meeting.
Schrock said his objectives will be to do something that gets the board the best members, reflects the will of the people and does not create more hurdles or issues for the board.